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Rating: 
Summary: Baseball 10 - Ring Lardner 0
Review: I was delighted to finally find a biography of Ring Lardner. I had read all his stories, and the "You Know Me Al" articles. I was full of anticipation when I began reading Mr. Yardleys history of early baseball under the guise of a Biography of Ring Lardner. I realize that Ring Lardner wrote about baseball, but Mr. Yardley's coverage of this part of Ring Lardner's life is over done to put it mildly. When I read a biography I expect to learn about the details of the individual's life, not baseball stories during the teens. Mr. Yardley does cover some very limited events of Ring Lardner's life between his baseball history lessons. If I want to read a book on Baseball history, I would find a book on that subject. While some may find the stories entertaining, I found them boring and over done. If you are looking for a Biography of Ring Lardner's life do not buy this book. If you want a early history of Baseball you will be right at home. I rate this book in reality 5 yawns, the only way I could stay awake reading it was on a cross trainer at the gym and even then it was an effort.
Rating:
Summary: Baseball 10 - Ring Lardner 0
Review: I was delighted to finally find a biography of Ring Lardner. I had read all his stories, and the "You Know Me Al" articles. I was full of anticipation when I began reading Mr. Yardleys history of early baseball under the guise of a Biography of Ring Lardner. I realize that Ring Lardner wrote about baseball, but Mr. Yardley's coverage of this part of Ring Lardner's life is over done to put it mildly. When I read a biography I expect to learn about the details of the individual's life, not baseball stories during the teens. Mr. Yardley does cover some very limited events of Ring Lardner's life between his baseball history lessons. If I want to read a book on Baseball history, I would find a book on that subject. While some may find the stories entertaining, I found them boring and over done. If you are looking for a Biography of Ring Lardner's life do not buy this book. If you want a early history of Baseball you will be right at home. I rate this book in reality 5 yawns, the only way I could stay awake reading it was on a cross trainer at the gym and even then it was an effort.
Rating: 
Summary: For Those Who Like To Read Past The First 40 Pages Of A Book
Review: Ring Lardner began his career as a sports journalist, writing mostly about BASEBALL. He had his first literary success with stories about a BASEBALL player. There is a good case to be made that BASEBALL events like the Black Sox Scandal greatly affected his world view. So guess what? Any biography of Ring Lardner is going to have a lot of stuff about BASEBALL in it! Kind of like a biography of George Patton might mention the army here and there. Jonathan Yardley sets the stage with a 38 page section about baseball as Lardner knew it. If you're allergic to baseball you can skip this part. The other 362 pages of text mention baseball no more than is necessary to tell Ring's story. Mostly this is an affectionate, critically insightful, well written biography of a vastly influential and still funny American writer who is sadly neglected today. Includes a decent sampling of Ring's newspaper journalism and personal letters.
Rating:
Summary: If you love Ring, you'll love this book
Review: Yardley remains one of the best critics of American literature around, and this book does Ring justice. You may enjoy this book if you're interested in the period (America from the teens to the 30s), but it's mostly for those who have read Lardner's fiction and nonfiction and want to know more. I'd recommend you read it alongside the memoir written by his son Ring, Jr: The Lardners: A Family Remembered. Both books are wonderful, entertaining tributes to a great American writer.
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